ELLIS PARK RESULTS -- 7/10/21

 It was fun to watch them run at Ellis yesterday and I had success in taking down the late Pick 4. There were a bunch of scratches in the sequence, since racing was taken off the turf, (seven horses in all)  but they came close to a couple of track records down there, so the "dirt" was good and the competition tough. 

I had four winner, three places and two show out of the 15 horses I had still running. That was good for a 60% "in the money" number. . I filled nine of the 12 "payable slots" in Races 5-8, for 75% success rate. 

Here how it went: 

RACE 5 -- HE'S PRETTY LUCKY won the stretch duel at 7/2 odds over a hard-trying STONE SLINGER and FUTURO held on for third. I had all three, a nice way to start the day, They ran a mile on the dirt, off the turf, 

RACE 6 -- This one, also, was pulled from the turf. But, a total of four scratches left me with just two runners in the race. Fortunately, SEARING CHASE was one of the runners I had left and he won at 5/2 odds. Only five horses competed. I also had Sir Giannis, who didn't hit the board. 

RACE 7 -- A maiden special weight affair that was contested on the dirt got MANASOTA SUNSET to the wire first. I had him at 5/2 odds, plus HOWBOUTTHEMAPPLES who ran second. Perfectable Lady, who I really liked, did not hit the board, which was almost unbelievable against these. 

RACE 8 -- My top pick SPARKLE OF HOPE prevailed here at 6/5 odds in this turf sprint.. I also had LET THEM EAT CAKE, who ran second. SENTIMENTAL CHASE got the show money, another of my picks, I was disappointed that LEAN IN got scratched, she's a daughter of UNCLE MO and I thought she could do well here. 

The Pick 4 paid $165.35 on the .50 cent wager and I plunked down $64 to capture it, so I'll take the $100+ profit on the day. 

I did consider, albeit briefly, the Belmont card yesterday -- but passed on the late Pick 4 (race 8-11) it had two nice stakes races in it, but ended with a maiden special weight and claimer. I am glad I did, I probably wouldn't have come up with the 11th race winner (Outrageous Bet) at 20-1 odds....if you did, you got rewarded with a Pick 4 that paid $1084  

We'll check out opening weekend at Saratoga next Saturday and maybe scout out Monmouth Race Course as well. They have six nice stakes races in Jersey next Saturday, including the Haskell Invitational --- $1 million on the line there and HOT ROD CHARLIE, MANDALOUN and MIDNIGHT BOURBON are expected contenders. The thing is, I've never had much luck "playing Jersey" over the years, so we'll see...

paulie